Digital Commons Network^™

Alzheimer’S Disease Protective Allele Of Clusterin Modulates Neuronal Excitability Through Lipid-Droplet-Mediated Neuron-Glia Communication, Xiaojie Zhao, Yan Li, Siwei Zhang, Ari Sudwarts, Hanwen Zhang, Alena Kozlova, Matthew J Moulton, Lindsey D Goodman, Zhiping P Pang, Alan R Sanders, Hugo J Bellen, Gopal Thinakaran, Jubao Duan

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have identified a plethora of risk loci. However, the disease variants/genes and the underlying mechanisms have not been extensively studied.

Methods: Bulk ATAC-seq was performed in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) differentiated various brain cell types to identify allele-specific open chromatin (ASoC) SNPs. CRISPR-Cas9 editing generated isogenic pairs, which were then differentiated into glutamatergic neurons (iGlut). Transcriptomic analysis and functional studies of iGlut co-cultured with mouse astrocytes assessed neuronal excitability and lipid droplet formation.

Results: We identified a putative causal SNP of CLU that impacted neuronal chromatin accessibility to transcription-factor(s), with …

A Sumo-Interacting Motif In The Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Epac1 Is Required For Subcellular Targeting And Function, Jason E Lee, Si Nie, Christopher J Bley, André Hoelz, Xiaodong Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (EPAC1), a multifunctional intracellular cAMP receptor, dynamically localizes to various cellular loci, engaging with diverse molecular partners to maintain cellular homeostasis. The study investigates the role of the SUMO interacting motif (SIM) in the subcellular targeting and cellular functions of EPAC1. It reveals that the SIM is a critical structural element for EPAC1's association with RanBP2/Nup358, a nucleoporin of the cytoplasmic filament component of the nuclear pore complex (NPC). Mutational disruption of EPAC1 SIM interferes with EPAC1's ability to activate its canonical effectors, small GTPases, Rap1 and Rap2, and non-canonical functions, such as the …

Prognostic Value Of Serum And Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Galactomannan Levels In Invasive Aspergillosis: An 8-Year Experience At A Tertiary Cancer Center, Saliba Wehbe, Anne-Marie Chaftari, Ray Hachem, Hiba Dagher, Andrea Haddad, Ying Jiang, Peter Bakht, Jishna Shrestha, Peter Lamie, Robin Sherchan, Jennifer Makhoul, Patrick Chaftari, Issam I Raad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a life-threatening fungal infection that primarily affects immunocompromised individuals and has high morbidity and mortality rates, necessitating timely diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic utility of serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid galactomannan levels, as well as galactomannan kinetics, in patients with IA.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who were diagnosed with proven or probable IA from March 2016 to April 2024 at a tertiary cancer center. The collected data included patient characteristics, baseline and peak galactomannan levels in serum and BAL fluid, galactomannan trends, and …

Design And Assembly Of A Lightweight, Multi-Cannula Tetrode Drive For Bilateral Hippocampal And Acc Recordings, Homero Phelps, Jasmine Sidhu, Jonathan V. Trinidad, Talha Soluoku

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Implants and Electrophysiology:

Electrophysiology is the study of the electrical properties of cells and tissues, neuronal implants enable high-resolution recordings of neuron action potentials and their locations in the brain.

Data gathered is key in investigating/mapping cognition and effects of neurological pathologies on regular neural systems.

Hyperdrive Model:

Previous model was restricted to two implant sites, and displayed frequent tetrode deformation

Hyperdrive was modified to support four implant sites and 16 independently movable tetrodes using 3D modeling software, while keeping its weight below 1.5 grams.

Targets:

Researchers targeted the hippocampus (CA1, CA3) and ACC, using the novel bilateral model

Crispr/Ncas9-Edited Cd34+ Cells Rescue Mucopolysaccharidosis Iva Fibroblasts Phenotype, Angélica María Herreno-Pachón, Andrés Felipe Leal, Shaukat Khan, Carlos Javier Alméciga-Díaz, Shunji Tomatsu

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IVA is a bone-affecting lysosomal storage disease (LSD) caused by impaired degradation of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) keratan sulfate (KS) and chondroitin 6-sulfate (C6S) due to deficient N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase (GALNS) enzyme activity. Previously, we successfully developed and validated a CRISPR/nCas9-based gene therapy (GT) to insert an expression cassette at the AAVS1 and ROSA26 loci in human MPS IVA fibroblasts and MPS IVA mice, respectively. In this study, we have extended our approach to evaluate the effectiveness of our CRISPR/nCas9-based GT in editing human CD34+ cells to mediate cross-correction of MPS IVA fibroblasts. CD34+ cells were electroporated with the CRISPR/nCas9 system, …

Reexploring The Stress Trial: Subgroup Postoperative Outcomes Following Methylprednisolone For Infant Heart Surgery, H Scott Baldwin, Marshall L Jacobs, Jennifer S Li, Eric M Graham, Ashraf M Resheidat, Venugopal Amula, Mark S Bleiweis, Eric L Wald, Pirooz Eghtesady, John P Scott, Brett R Anderson, Michael F Swartz, Alexis Benscoter, William Ravekes, Prince J Kannankeril

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective Assess the association between intraoperative methylprednisolone and specific postoperative outcomes among subgroups undergoing infant heart surgery.

Design: Subpopulation analyses of The Steroids to Reduce Systemic Inflammation after Infant Heart Surgery trial, a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: 24 congenital heart centers.

Patients: Infants (< 1 year old) undergoing heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Patients stratified by Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Congenital Heart Surgery (STAT) Mortality Category, age, gestational age, and presence of chromosomal or syndromic diagnosis (CSD).

Interventions: Methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg) versus placebo administered into cardiopulmonary bypass pump-priming fluid.

Measurements and main results: Outcomes included death, heart transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, reinterventions, and hospital length of stay. Ranked composite outcome (death, transplant, or one of 13 major complications) was compared between placebo and methylprednisolone for each subgroup using the win ratio. Methylprednisolone …

Editorial–Special Issue On Application Of Cold Atmospheric Plasma In Human And Veterinary Disease, Katharina Stapelmann, Eloisa Sardella, Vandana Miller

Kimmel Cancer Center Papers, Presentations, and Grand Rounds

Plasma medicine is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field that combines plasma science and engineering, chemistry, biology, and medicine. This special issue focuses on various ways to apply cold atmospheric pressure plasma in translating plasma technology into clinical applications. Ongoing research on the redox-based mechanism of plasma action, the concept of 'plasma dose' and device control is critical for advancing plasma medicine. As these applications move toward the clinic, ensuring the reproducibility and quality control of plasma sources is essential. The articles in this issue present examples of both direct and indirect plasma applications, with indirect treatments describing cell exposure to …

Artificial Intelligence-Based Virtual Staining Platform For Identifying Tumor-Associated Macrophages From Hematoxylin And Eosin-Stained Images, Tanmoy Dam, Himanshu Maurya, Tilak Pathak, Sandra Orsulic, Kailin Yang, Deborah Chute, Justin A Bishop, Farhoud Faraji, Wade M Thorstad, Shlomo Koyfman, Scott Steward, Qiuying Shi, Vlad Sandulache, Nabil F Saba, James S Lewis, Germán Corredor, Anant Madabhushi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Virtual staining is an artificial intelligence-based approach that transforms pathology images between stain types, such as hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) to immunohistochemistry (IHC), providing a tissue-preserving and efficient alternative to traditional IHC staining. However, existing methods for translating H&E to virtual IHC often fail to generate images of sufficient quality for accurately delineating cell nuclei and IHC+ regions. To address these limitations, we introduce VISTA, an artificial intelligence-based virtual staining platform designed to translate H&E into virtual IHC.

Methods: We applied VISTA to identify M2-subtype tumor-associated macrophages (M2-TAMs) in H&E images from 968 patients with HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell …

Efficacy And Safety Of Larotrectinib In Patients With Trk Fusion Gastrointestinal Cancer, Changsong Qi, Lin Shen, Thierry Andre, Hyun Cheol Chung, Timothy L Cannon, Antoine Italiano, Tianshu Liu, Domnita-Ileana Burcoveanu, Natascha Neu, Chiara E Mussi, Rui-Hua Xu, David S Hong, Alexander Drilon, Jordan Berlin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Larotrectinib is the first-in-class, highly selective TRK inhibitor with demonstrated efficacy in various TRK fusion solid tumours. We report the efficacy and safety of larotrectinib in patients with TRK fusion gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.

Methods: Patients with TRK fusion GI cancer from NAVIGATE (NCT02576431) were included. Response was independent review committee (IRC)-assessed per RECIST v1.1.

Results: As of July 2023, 44 patients were enrolled. Tumour types included colorectal (CRC; n = 26), pancreatic (n = 7), cholangiocarcinoma (n = 4), gastric (n = 3), and one each of appendiceal, duodenal, oesophageal and hepatic cancers. Of the 26 patients …

Genomic Characterization Of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma Reveals Distinct Somatic Features In Black Individuals, Katherine A Lawson-Michod, Jeffrey R Marks, Lindsay J Collin, David A Nix, Natalie R Davidson, Yao Yu, Courtney E Johnson, Lucas A Salas, Lauren C Peres, Casey S Greene, Joellen M Schildkraut, Jennifer A Doherty

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Black individuals experience worse survival after a diagnosis of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) than White individuals and are underrepresented in ovarian cancer research. To date, the understanding of the molecular and genomic heterogeneity of HGSC is based primarily on the evaluation of tumors from White individuals. In the present study, we performed whole-exome sequencing on HGSC samples from 211 Black patients to identify significantly mutated genes and characterize mutational signatures, assessing their distributions by gene expression subtypes. The occurrence and frequency of somatic mutations and signatures by self-reported race were compared with historic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas …

Longitudinal Profiling Of Circulating Tumor Dna Reveals The Evolutionary Dynamics Of Metastatic Prostate Cancer During Serial Therapy, Yuehui Zhao, Naveen Ramesh, Ping Xu, Emi Sei, Min Hu, Patricia Troncoso, Christopher J Logothetis, Paul G Corn, Nicholas E Navin, Amado J Zurita

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Treatment decisions in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer are mostly guided by clinical variables, but efforts to molecularly monitor the disease remain hampered by challenges in acquiring tumor tissue repeatedly. In this study, we simultaneously profiled the genome copy number and exome in longitudinal plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) acquired before, during, and upon progression to serial treatments with androgen signaling inhibitors and taxane chemotherapy from 60 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (2-10 samples per patient). The genomic data were used to delineate the clonal substructure and evolutionary dynamics of each patient, and an evolutionary dynamic index was developed to …

Low Dose Aspirin Is Associated With Improved 30-And 92-Day Outcomes In Patients With Acute Pancreatitis: A Multinational Multicenter Analysis, Do Han Kim Md, Donghyun Ko Md, Pedro Palacios Argueta Md, Wilhelm S. Basegoda Md, Jose A. Porres, Frank J. Lukens Md, Paul T. Kroner Md

Posters

Currently, no medications are known to formally treat or prevent acute pancreatitis (AP). Significant attention has been devoted to aspirin (ASA), with rodent models showing that it is associated with decreased inflammatory cytokine levels and protects against acinar cell necrosis. Current human studies, which are limited to retrospective inpatient outcomes only on the index hospitalization for AP, do suggest that patients on ASA have improved outcomes. The aim of our study was to explore de 30- and 90- day outcomes of patients with AP on long-term ASA use.

Valproate Use Is Associated With Higher Mortality And Hepatic Decompensationin Patients With Masld/ Mash: A Multinational Analysis, Donghyun Ko, Do Han Kim Md, Wilhelm S. Basegoda Md, Jose A. Porres, Luis M. Nieto Md, Pedro Palacios Argueta Md, Paul T. Kroner Md, Frank J. Lukens Md

Posters

Valproate is a widely used anti-seizure medication for treating epilepsy. However, it significantly impacts lipid metabolism by interfering with the beta-oxidation pathway of fatty acids in mitochondria. This disruption is expected to accelerate the progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and steatohepatitis (MASH) in patients on chronic valproate therapy. The aim of this study is to determine whether the chronic use of valproate increases the risk of liver-related and cardiovascular events

Sglt-2 Inhibitor Use Is Associated With Lower Mortality In Patients With Alcoholic Cirrhosis And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Multinational Analysis, Do Han Kim Md, Donghyun Ko, Jose A. Porres, Wilhelm S. Basegoda Md, Cristina H. Makarian, Luis M. Nieto Md, Pedro Palacios Argueta Md, Paul T. Kroner Md, Frank J. Lukens Md

Posters

In our study, we aimed to investigate whether SGLT2 inhibitors are associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, liver-related events, and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and T2DM.

Excess Fructose In High-Fructose Corn Syrup Reduces Cell Viability & Promotes Nitric Oxide Release In Raw 264.7 Macrophages, Renzo F. Galarza, Edward L. Villegas

Research and Creativity Symposium

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is an artificial sweetener that contains slightly higher concentrations of fructose compared to standard sucrose. It has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease. While both HFCS and sucrose are widely used sweeteners, growing evidence suggests they may differ in their inflammatory potential. We sought to understand the effects of elevated fructose on RAW 264.7 macrophages. To investigate these effects, we treated the cells with either a sucrose solution or a
solution designed to mimic high-fructose corn syrup. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation was used to model innate …

Influence Of Hearing Loss On Self-Reported Hearing Ability And Listening Fatigue In Persons With Aphasia, Ashlyn Kilgore

Poster Presentations

Aphasia is an acquired disorder, often caused by stroke, that results in language deficits. It can greatly impact a person's ability to communicate with others. Cognitive deficits may accompany aphasia. Additionally, hearing loss is a disability likely to co-occur with aphasia, as they both most commonly impact the same age group. When a person has hearing loss, the quality of the auditory signal is degraded when it reaches the brain. The poor signal quality, compounded with linguistic and possible cognitive deficits that are associated with aphasia, makes it more difficult for persons with aphasia (PWA) to comprehend speech.

For all …

Impact Of Aromatherapy On Surgical Patients' Perceived Nausea And Vomiting, John Brennan, Ryan Brennan Bs, Sue Garrison Ma, Bsn, Rn, Cheryl Green, Evelyn Jacovino Msn, Rn, Cmsnl, Cynthia Martins Msn, Rn, Shelly Simonet Bsn, Rn, Jannet Serra Ma, Bsn, Rn, Beth Williams Dnp, Rn, Ec-Bc, Andrew Quito Bsn, Mba

Posters

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is the most common adverse effect of surgery. In the United States, it is estimated that 20- 30% of all surgical encounters, or 75 million Americans yearly experience some form of PONV. Holistic management of PONV has the potential to save a significant amount of resources when compared to standard treatment modalities (Amirshahi et al., 2020; Asay et al., 2019).

Prior to implementation of this quality improvement project, it was estimated that roughly 20% of orthopedic surgery patients at Bridgeport Hospital Milford Campus experienced PONV, a serious practice concern. The goal of this project was …

From Stillness To Life: A Family's Experience Of Craniosacral Therapy In The Nicu, Veronica Quarry

Journal of Transformative Touch

The mother of a newborn in the NICU shares the benefits both infant and parents experienced when their daughter received CranioSacral Therapy during that critical time.

Valproate Use Is Associated With Lower Hepatic And Cardiovascular Outcomes When Compared To Levetiracetam In Patients With Masld/Mash: A Multinationalanalysis, Donghyun Ko, Do Han Kim Md, Wilhelm S. Basegoda Md, Jose A. Porres, Luis M. Nieto Md, Pedro Palacios Argueta Md, Paul T. Kroner Md, Frank J. Lukens Md

Posters

Valproate and levetiracetam are commonly used to manage epilepsy. While valproate is well-documented to significantly affect lipid metabolism, less is known about the effects of levetiracetam. Given this, worse outcomes in MASLD/MASH are anticipated in patients treated with valproate.

The aim of our study is to compare hepatic and cardiovascular outcomes in MASLD/MASH patients treated with valproate versus levetiracetam.

Immune-Related Adverse Events Associated With Pembrolizumab In Dmmr/Msi-H Colorectal Cancer: A Single Arm Safety Meta-Analysis, Joshi Simran, Saman Javid, Gaurav Sharma, Corinne Caissie, Armando Dominguez-Diaz

Posters

Pembrolizumab, a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor, enhances immune response and has proven effective against various cancers, including melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Clinical trials have also shown its efficacy in treating various types of cancers with different mismatch-repair statuses. However, the spectrum and frequency of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in the dMMR (deficient mismatch repair) / MSI-H (microsatellite instability-high) colorectal cancer remain underexplored.

Therefore, this meta-analysis aims to evaluate pembrolizumab's safety profile in this colorectal cancer subset.

Menstruation Cycles And The Impact On A Female Athlete's Performance And Perception Of Performance, Mckenzie Mcaloon

Honors Projects in Biological and Biomedical Sciences

This two-part study investigates the impact of menstrual cycle hormone levels on performances and perception of performance among division I athletes. A survey was given to the captains of all Bryant University female sports teams for the dispersal amongst their teams. Each of the 13 female sports teams participated and contributed. A total of 107 survey responses were collected. Data regarding the perception of menstrual cycle on specific aspects of their athletic lives were collected, as well as whether they were on contraception, their age of menarche and heaviness of flow. The results indicate that 83% of athletes surveyed believe …

A Curious Case Of Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction In A Lupus Patient, Farah Khan Md

Posters

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with cardiovascular risks, including coronary artery disease (CAD) and typically heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection (HFpEF). We report an SLE patient with ventricular arrhythmias and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) due to myocarditis, responding positively to Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy (GDMT) for both conditions

A Fatal Triad: Concurrent Pulmonary Infections With Candida, Mucorales, And Aspergillus In An Immunocompromised Patient With Underlying Vasculitis And Diabetes, Paridhi Ghai, Kavitha Gopalratnam

Posters

We present a case of disseminated fungal disease involving simultaneous infections with Candida, Mucorales, and Aspergillus.

Targeting Student Outcomes Through Implementation Of Laboratory Experiences In A First Year Medical Neuroanatomy Course, Grant Boxey

Anatomical Education Dissertations

The pillars of anatomical sciences, including neuroanatomy, have undergone massive shifts in their teaching methodologies in recent years. With the increased enrollment in graduate medical education, as well as the introduction of new technologies, the anatomical sciences have reformed the ways in which future healthcare practitioners learn. Among the challenges to neuroanatomical education have been reliable access to donor specimens, and a decrease in laboratory-based hours. This study evaluated the introduction of voluntary laboratory-based experiences within a first-year medical neuroanatomy course. The first research question evaluated the effect of hands-on laboratory experiences on examination performance between participants and non-participants. There …

Cns-Specific Hiv Reservoir Characterization In Humans: Advancing Our Understanding Through Novel Genomics Methods., Ghazal Sadri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The persistence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reservoir despite years of suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) represents the principal obstacle to achieving a functional cure. Because the intact, replication-competent portion of the reservoir drives viral rebound after treatment interruption, HIV cure strategies must specifically identify and target cells harboring these proviruses. Conventional reservoir‐characterization techniques typically require separate assays to capture integration sites, assess proviral integrity, and quantify clonal proliferation and they rely on short‐read sequencing. These limitations hinder our ability to understand how integration landscapes, the integrity of the HIV genome, and cell‐division dynamics intersect to maintain viral persistence in …

A Comprehensive Literature Review Of Barriers To Hormone Therapy Utilization: Strategies For Improving Menopause Management In Women Aged 40-60, Suhan Lee

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Menopause is a natural transition marked by the cessation of ovarian activity, often accompanied by vasomotor symptoms (VMS), genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), and psychological changes that significantly impact women’s quality of life. Hormone therapy (HT) has been the primary treatment for managing menopausal symptoms, particularly VMS, providing substantial relief when initiated within 10 years of menopause. Despite its effectiveness, HT usage has declined dramatically over the past two decades primarily due to barriers such as stigma, safety, misinformation, provider hesitancy, financial barriers, and cultural beliefs. This comprehensive literature review explores key factors influencing HT decision-making, including the media’s role …

The State Of Abortion Training In Medical School And Family Medicine Residency Curricula: A Scoping Literature Review, Eric James Reece

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

This project aims to assess how abortion education has been integrated into medical training over the past decade, with a particular focus on understanding its current state in medical schools and family medicine residencies, including those offering specialized programs affiliated with RHEDI (Reproductive Health Education in Family Medicine) and TEACH (Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare). Given the ever-evolving legal landscape following the June 4^th, 2022 Supreme Court case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, this review explores how both federal- and state-level legal restrictions impact access to abortion training and attempts to identify gaps …

Hypercoagulable And Autoimmune Factors In Patients With Moyamoya Syndrome, Justin F. Fraser, Min Jian Hou Ma, Christopher Mclouth, Laura Whitnel, Jessica Lasslo, David Dornbos Iii, Jill Roberts

Neuroscience Research Data

Moyamoya is a progressive cerebrovascular condition leading to stenosis of the internal carotid arteries (ICA) and formation of abnormal vasculature at the base of the brain. Patients ultimately suffer from ischemic and/or hemorrhagic stroke. In Kentucky, patients often present with comorbidities, which classifies them as having moyamoya syndrome (MMS). In this prospective observational study, we measured coagulable- and autoimmune-related factors in MMS subjects to identify possible therapeutic targets and help inform clinical care. Venous blood samples were collected from adult subjects diagnosed with MMS and analyzed by the UK Healthcare Clinical Laboratory. Blood samples, demographics, and medical records were obtained …

Excess Weight Is Associated With Neurological And Neuropsychiatric Symptoms In Post-Covid-19 Condition: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Débora Barbosa Ronca, Larissa Otaviano Mesquita, Dryelle Oliveira, Ana Cláudia Morais Godoy Figueiredo, Jun Wen, Manshu Song, Kênia Mara Baiocchi De Carvalho

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background/purpose Excess weight has been identified as a potential risk factor for post-COVID-19 condition (PCC). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate whether excess weight is associated with the development or experience of neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms in PCC. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search of eight databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, VHL, Google Scholar, ProQuest, and medRxiv) for studies published up to July 2023. Studies were included if they assessed PCC symptoms in relation to nutritional status, specifically the development of neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms more than 12 weeks post-infection. The analysis compared exposure and controls …

Mechanisms Of Behavioral Change In Hosts Of Toxoplasma Gondii: A Review, Olivia Grimsley

Senior Honors Theses

The parasite Toxoplasma gondii is a highly ubiquitous parasite that latently infects an estimated 33% percent of the global population. Toxoplasmosis is of obvious clinical significance due to the extremely high risks to the unborn who contract it congenitally. Less attention has been given to a more subtle aspect of latent infection, which is the behavioral alterations that are commonly experienced by those who contract the parasite. Infected individuals commonly display a variety of altered behaviors, such as increased aggression and risk-seeking behaviors, depression, higher tendency towards suicide and self-directed violence, a loss of fear response, and a greatly increased …